Schadenfreude
by narwhalhippopotamus
Summary: *I DON'T OWN BATMAN OR ANY OTHER BATMAN/DC COMIC CHARACTERS* I got bored & had this brewing for a while. hope you like it.
1. Chapter 1

*****I DO NOT IN ANYWAY OWN BATMAN OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS ASSOCIATED WITH IT*****

I had everything I could have ever asked for…I had a perfect boyfriend. The legendary Bruce Wayne. He was handsome, rich, strong, mysterious, funny…none of that mattered to me though. He could have been homeless and I still would have cared for him. Funny, that's how it started off for me. But no matter how good my life was, there was always something to ruin it. I guess I should start at the beginning.

I thought I was going to die. I had seen everyone else in this building bludgeoned to death. I was the only one left. I had been here for nearly three months. I counted the tick-marks on my arms I carved in with my nails to pass the time and ignore the screams. It wasn't like they didn't beat others along with the ones they felt like killing. They kicked, slapped, punched, and stabbed. In the months that I had been there I had seen thirty eight people killed. I didn't even know their names.

Not asking their names helps. Helps keep you sane. Learn their name you get attached. Talk and you get attached. So I sat there, in a black abyss awaiting my turn. I wasn't sure how, but I was sure I would be the last one. The man who ran this place came toward me. Pointed and told a man across the room to take his time and draw it out. He wanted to watch me die. I knew there was something odd, I knew him from somewhere. They untied me. He started kicking me, punching me. Beating me slowly. Painfully. I heard audible cracks as he broke some of my ribs. _Don't scream, _I thought to myself, _whatever you do don't scream. They like it too much. Don't give them that pleasure. _I had seen the smiles on their faces as they killed the others.

I was fading, holding on for dear life to my vain little existence. I was vaguely aware of some commotion outside. I didn't care. The door was kicked open then. A dark figure seemed to fly through the door. He tackled the man beating me sending him across the room as if he was nothing. He threw something metallic at the big boss and the fat ass fell to his knees. I knew he was dead and looked away. "Are you all right?" asked the dark figure.

"I…I think so…" I replied weakly.

I tried to sit up and he held me down. I looked at him, confused. He swooped me up silently. Rushed me outside, I couldn't figure out what kind of deluded fantasy this was. There was no way that I was still alive. A car that seemed to come out of nowhere opened its door, or rather its roof. He set me inside and told me to hold on and stay calm over and over. The only thing that stuck out was "You're safe now."

I don't know why but I started to cry. I felt like a teenage drama queen. "What the hell am I supposed to do now!?" I pleaded. "I've been missing for three months! I have nothing to go back to!"

He was slow in answering. Finally, he said "I know a place you can stay…an acquaintance of mine. His name is Bruce. He'll be fine with you staying."

"I can't imagine how anyone could even THINK about refusing a request from you." He seemed to be enjoying some kind of personal inside joke. Apparently, not one I was supposed to understand.

It seemed to take forever to drive to wherever the hell we were going. When we did get here I was finally starting to feel the pain from the beating. He opened the roof and helped me out. I still managed to stumble. It wasn't until he led me to the door and handed me a key that I realized where I was. "You expect me to stay in _Bruce Wayne's house!?_" I gasped.

"No worries," was all he said.

"Be a big girl." I repeated that line over and over in my head as I turned the key and stepped inside. It was the single largest house I had ever seen. There was a huge staircase, an elevator, an enormous sofa but a tiny television. I realized after a few seconds I was wandering around a stranger's house. "Hello?" I called softly. I didn't want to wake anyone. I heard soft footsteps behind me.

An older, British voice asked, "May I help you, ma'am?"

"Uh-uh- oh! Yes, uhm, I was told by, uh, well I guess it was Batman that Mr. Wayne would be alright with my staying here."

A strange emotion flickered across his face for the briefest moment. He nodded and motioned for me to follow. _Well that was awkward as hell. _That night I had the best night of sleep I had ever gotten.


	2. Chapter 2

*AGAIN, I DO NOT OWN BATMAN OR ANY CHARACTERS ASSOCIATED*

I awoke to a large room. It took me a few seconds to realize where I was. All of the memories of the previous night came crashing down. I moaned loudly. "Sounds like you had a pretty rough night," said a soothing voice from the corner.

I gasped. "I, oh, uh, hi. Sorry, I wasn't exactly, uh, expecting anyone to be here." I felt my face getting hot; I knew I was blushing like a school girl.

He smiled politely, pretending to ignore it. "No offense, but you look like you could use a shower, some new clothes, and some food. In that order of course," He snickered at the last part.

"Mhm," I mumbled shyly. He showed me where the shower was and told me he'd find some clothes that would fit me. I took a very long shower. Letting the hot water soothe my sore muscles. I finally shut the water off and glanced in the mirror. I had huge bruises all along my torso. I grimaced. I dressed laughing at the way the clothes fit.

I walked out of the bathroom and he was there sitting on the bed. A huge smile spread across his face. He looked away and tried to hide it. "I look ridiculous, don't I," I teased. He nodded.

"Come on, let's get you some better fitting clothes."

"Alright"

He led me to his car. I stopped dead in my tracks. I felt my mouth drop open. I felt his confused eyes on me trying to figure out why I had stopped. "Th-th-this is a Lamborghini!" I stuttered.

"Yeah, and?" he asked, obviously amused.

"Wow." Was all I could manage. I got in slowly and carefully, I didn't want to scratch the leather or something.

He parked in front of one of the most expensive boutiques I had ever heard of. I was almost getting used to his expensive taste. I walked inside and the smells of leather, fabrics, and all types of potpourri bombarded me. I glanced around not knowing where to begin to even look.

*SKIPPING SHOPPING PART FOR LACK OF BORINGNESS*

I wore out one of the outfits he bought me. A flawless white skirt, a brown cami, and brown flat sandles. "Where would you like to eat?" He asked. "No limits. Whatever you want and wherever you want."

"Uh. Wow. I've never had that wide of choices. Anywhere's fine, I guess."

He took me to a lesser restaurant and I was glad. I didn't like the feeling of going to a fancy restaurant with tiny portions and expensive food. We talked about minor things. Mainly about me, though. I suddenly got a feeling of twenty questions.

It wasn't until he led me outside that I realized just how late it was. It was dark already. The sky was darker than the strange costume worn by the mysterious man that saved me…was it only last night? We drove home slowly. I glanced at the clock and felt my eyes grow wide. It was nearly midnight! "What time did I wake up this morning?" I asked, interrupting him mid-sentence.

He obviously wasn't expecting it. He was slow in answering. "Well, technically, you didn't. you woke up at about twelve thirty."

"_What!?"_ I gasped. "Why'd you let me sleep that late?" No wonder I was so tired. I had gotten too much sleep.

"Uh…I'm sorry?" He stuttered.

"No, sorry. It's not your fault. I'm just used to not getting so much sleep…or any…" I finished in a whisper.

He stayed silent the rest of the way back to his house. Hmm… should I start calling it home? I wondered to myself.

"'Night," I mumbled.

"'Night," he replied.


	3. Chapter 3

I had strange dreams that night. I dreamt about Batman saving me. The image replaying over and over again in my head. I dreamt about being back in that horrible prison. Strangest of all, I dreamt about Bruce Wayne, my savior, and, quite possibly, my best friend. I woke that morning to a bright morning. I glanced at the clock. Nine thirty. _Good_ I thought. I walked downstairs slowly. Wondering if he was awake yet. He was.

I looked at him closely for the first time. He was really quite handsome. High cheek-bones, a straight nose, sleek hair. I caught myself staring and asked "So what's for breakfast this morning? Caviar?" I added teasingly.

He laughed, a musical sound. "No, no. I was thinking more along the lines of toast."

"Sounds good," I replied, smiling.

We ate silently. Staring out the large bay window than at the food, or each other. "Would you like to go for a walk?" He asked in an off-hand tone.

"Sure." I replied too quickly. I realized that I was beginning to like him. Probably much more than I should. We walked along the calmer streets. Eventually reaching the river. It was getting dark again. I groaned softly. "What?" He asked. "Am I boring you?" he teased.

"No, it's just that it got dark way too fast."

He laughed again. I was subconsciously aware that I was leaning toward him and that we had stopped. He took my hand and leaned toward me. I felt my lips part and I took in a ragged breath. I saw him smile. I closed my eyes to keep from blushing. Not that it helped. My face flushed like a tomato. He chuckled. He paused for a brief moment. He kissed me. He kissed me like I'd never been kissed before. Before then every kiss had been demanding. That's what I expected. Instead he was tender, patient. He let me kiss him as deeply as I wished. He pulled me closer. I grasped his neck. I gasped for a breath. I felt a deeper passion buried underneath. And, all too soon, he pulled away.

He smiled. I blushed and smiled back. He led me toward a car that came out of nowhere. Opened my door for me. I sat down as he got in the opposite seat. He drove home, I suppose I might as well call it that now, holding my hand. We got home and again I realized how late it was. "'Night." I said.

"'Night. Sweet dreams." He answered. He pulled me into another kiss. Just as passionate as the first. I walked to my room looking back at him, smiling.

I woke to an unfamiliar place. A cold, bracing wind toyed with my hair. "Where am I?" I asked. All I saw was a purple suit and a tangled mess of green hair. He spun around to face me. His face was painted white with black surrounding his deep brown eyes. He had scars coming out from the corner of his lips as if to resemble a smile. He had them painted red. He smiled, at least I think it was a smile, it may have been a grimace though. "Don't worry too much about where you are. You won't be here for long. Soon you'll be on the nice solid ground." He replied in an odd voice.

I knew exactly what he meant. He was going to throw me off the side and act like nothing ever happened. _Terrific._ I thought _I finally meet a great guy and now I have to die. Terrific._ He came over to me. Grabbed my face. "Now, why so serious? Nothing to be afraid of. Like I said, you'll be on the nice, solid ground soon. No worries, right?"

"So, in other words, you're going to throw me off the side and walk away, right?" I retorted.

"Hmm…you're a little too smart. That's why you've got to go."

I should have been used to this kind of thing. He grabbed my arm dragging me towards the edge. Pushed me. I felt his arm tight around my wrist. I was dangling over the edge, a few dozen stories above ground. "Have a nice trip." He said, and he let go. I felt the air rushing past me faster than I thought possible. I squeezed my eyes shut not wanting to see the ground rushing up at me. I felt something huge plow into my left side. "Hold on!" a familiar rough voice instructed. I did as he said. Grasping onto his neck for dear life.

We half landed half crashed into the sidewalk. He pulled me to my feet and dragged me into a back ally. He pushed me against the brick wall, "Nikki, are you all right?" He demanded.

"I-I'm fine." I replied shaken.

"Good. Just hold on a minute and let me get my car."

"Alright." I whispered.

As his "car" rounded the corner I watched his face. He seemed pissed. Whether it was over having to save me again or over having to let the Joker walk away I wasn't sure. He turned to me again and pushed me up against the wall. He spoke quickly and quietly, as if he thought there were others surrounding us, "Alright look. I need you to go home and stay there. I don't care what who says. You stay there. Until we get that maniac off of the streets I need you to stay safe and stay alive. I'll be guarding your house until then. Understand?"

"Yes." Was all I could reply.

"Good."

He still hadn't pull away. I swore I felt him leaning forward. He grabbed my chin and lifted my face up towards his. My lips parted. And he kissed me. I'd been kissed like this before. So tender and willing. Even the shape and the taste of his lips were the same. He pulled away. "That was probably a bad idea." He said, obviously in turmoil.

We climbed in the car. He closed the door. He sped towards home. He swerved into a stop. He sighed. "Close your eyes," he said reluctantly. I did as he asked, wondering what he was doing. I heard him lean forward. He kissed my eyes gently, probably making sure they were closed. He seemed to disappear. He kissed me. There was something different though. I ran my fingers through his hair…wait. Hair? I pulled away. "Bruce," I whispered.


End file.
